The Heart Will Remember
by nautika
Summary: At a difficult age, the foundation on which Aragorn has built his life is shaken. AU. Some violence, but this is LOTR, right?
1. Chapter 1

The Heart Will Remember  
By nautika

Written for the September 2006 Teitho Challenge  
Disclaimer: Not mine, wouldnt know what to do with them if they were.  
Summary: At a difficult age, the foundation on which Aragorn has built his life is shaken. AU, especially because Aragorn's mother was conveniently killed at the same time as Arathorn. Some violence, but this is LOTR, right?  
K+

Chapter 1 Why this?

"Estel! Estel, wait!"

The dark-haired elf pursued the fleeing human down the stairs, calling as he ran, but the young man – still a boy, really – ignored his calls.

Elrohir's heart ached for his brother, whose heart had obviously been shattered by their father's words. 'Why this?' Elrond's middle son implored the Valar.

Wincing as the front door slammed against the inner wall, Elrohir increased his speed. His brother was probably headed for the stables and Elrohir needed to reach there in time to intercept him. Elladan was still not fully recovered and with this new development with their father, Elrohir needed to remain nearby. Yet allowing Estel to depart alone was unthinkable.

The elf entered the stables and was met with the concerned eyes of those who worked there. Estel had been a favorite of theirs since Elrond had given him his first pony and they had observed Estel's gentle and loving treatment of it. Now, Elrohir raised an Elrond-like brow in question and the stable master responded with a nod in the direction of Ruín's stall. Elrohir dismissed the elves with a movement of his head; they departed on silent feet, closing the stable doors quietly behind them.

Elrohir stopped just outside the stall and studied his human brother, who was attempting to place the bridle on his mare. Estel was so upset his hands shook and he was having problems getting the chestnut to accept the bit in her mouth. Elrohir knew she was sensing her master's unusual level of distress and it was making her uneasy. He could empathize with the animal.

Elrohir wished his father could do this. The Lord of Rivendell always knew the correct thing to say to reassure his youngest son. As a human living among elves, acceptance was difficult to gain. The grace and silent movement of the elves was something no human could ever hope to match. Yet, when Estel visited his human friend Lucas, he was never really comfortable in the presence of the neighboring humans who were rowdier and less meticulous about their personal hygiene than the residents of Imladris. Add to this life-long feeling of inadequacy the fact he was now going through puberty – well, this was one blow the boy definitely did not need! Estel's emotions ran the gauntlet as did all human younglings his age, though Estel's sometimes seemed more moderate than Lucas'. The twins attributed this to the overall serenity of Imladris and their father's amazing patience and insight in dealing with their younger brother. Estel only seemed to erupt when teased, something the elves who were the equivalent of his age seemed to be outgrowing.

Even during the present crisis, Estel had remained steadfastly calm. He had assisted his brothers and the healers by fetching water and bandages, by wringing out and changing the cloth that lay upon his forehead, and by speaking softly to him, reminding the elf lord that they were there and that they loved him. The only time he balked was when Elladan had tried to send him to his room. The human had simply tipped his head and curled up on the foot of their father's bed to sleep. Yes, Estel's composure in the face of Elrond's injuries had been just short of miraculous…until today. Today, their father had regained consciousness and spoken for the first time since falling and striking his head during the battle with the orcs.

Elrohir thought back to the events that had brought them to this point.

**Ten Days Earlier**

_The twins exchanged an amused look as Estel 'invited' their father to come camping with them. In spite of a terrifying first camping trip with Elladan, Estel had not lost his love of them. _

_Elladan and Elrohir took him on trips on a fairly regular basis. Sometimes the Prince of Mirkwood accompanied them, as well. Whether they walked or rode, whether they hunted or fished, mattered not to the young human. He adored the time spent in the woods, eating whatever they themselves had caught or killed, laughing with and learning from the elves he adored. _

_One of his favorite parts of the trips were the campfire stories. The stories varied depending on Estel's age and on who was along on the trip. The twins quickly learned to save the terrifying tales of trolls, evil spirits and other fearsome (and sometimes fictional) creatures for when Legolas was not with them. The fair elf made it plain that he did not find those tales to be amusing or appropriate for young Estel. Legolas himself told tales from the days when Mirkwood had been Greenwood the Great or of the Maiar, from whom it was said the earliest elves learned much skill and wisdom. He made Middle Earth's history seem like an adventure tale and frankly, to their embarrassment, Elladan and Elrohir were frequently drawn into Legolas' stories as much as their younger brother. _

_In addition, however ashamed the twins might have been of such a feeling, they became a little envious of the way Legolas could draw Estel into a tale. It seemed their little brother, who used to beg for their stories, had begun to favor those of Legolas. In order to compete with the prince's yarns, they had begun to regal Estel with stories their father had told them over campfires when they were young. While Estel's interest was indeed captured by these stories, they also called to his attention the fact that their father had gone on camping trips with the twins, but never with him. _

_The twins had never really considered that before. Of course, Estel knew as well as they that their father was busy both as a healer and with the leadership of Imladris, but it did seem unfair that he had never taken time out to go camping with his human son. Besides, the twins thought it might be amusing. So they assured their young brother that it was likely the elf lord thought they would have more fun without him and suggested he invite their father to come on their next excursion. Estel, putting his early lessons in strategy to good use, bided his time until nearer their next planned outing. He spent a few days making discreet inquires and carefully observing the comings and goings of visitors and advisors to the elf lord. He smiled in satisfaction when he found the healing rooms were practically empty. He even entered Elrond's study when their father was having an early morning walk in the garden and checked his calendar for upcoming appointments or events. Having satisfied himself that there was no crisis or deadline in the near future, he excelled in his studies and refrained from behavior his father would have found unsatisfactory, even foregoing his early morning leaps from his balcony to a nearby tree that he used in order to spend time at the archery fields before anyone else was awake. _

_On the evening Estel decided to extend his invitation, Elrond's mood could not have been more mellow. The twins had known what was coming from the look in Estel's eyes, so they carefully allowed him to direct the conversation. When he mentioned he and the twins would be going camping again in a few days' time, Elrond merely nodded and asked if they had decided on a destination. Estel's response that they thought to allow Elrond to make that decision since it would be his first outing with all three sons had actually caused the elf lord's mouth to fall open. It was that sight that had the twins exchanging their amused look while their little brother pressed his case. By the time Estel had countered every objection their father had made by using the information he had gathered, the twins were no longer smiling, but were making mental notes to be much more careful around their younger brother. Their father was no doubt making mental notes of who would do what in his absence. _

_Estel was thrilled._

_To Be Continued_

Author's Notes: The 'terrifying first camping trip' mentioned in this fic can be found in "Blood of a Brother: The Camping Trip"  
Estel's human friend, Lucas, was first mentioned in "Is It Really Home, Sweet Home for Estel?" and is also mentioned in "Never Back Down". I meant to rename him to something more acceptable, but just never could decide on what to use instead. I keep thinking I'll expand on him as a best friend for Estel until Legolas comes along, but havent done that yet either! My computer has been sick, so I'm just glad to be able to post!


	2. The Trip

**Chapter 2 The Trip**

**Extended flashback continues:**

**_Seven Days Earlier_**

_The impressive restraint Estel had shown in the weeks before the impending camping trip was nowhere to be seen in the youngling the morning of their departure. He was simply bouncing with excitement. He would have three of the most important people in his life all to himself for five entire days doing the thing he enjoyed most! It might have been nice if Legolas had been able to come and perhaps someday he would invite Lucas, but for now, this was absolutely perfect. _

Estel came bounding down the stairs with his pack in one hand and his bow in the other, his quiver of arrows on his back, and promptly collided with his father, who was coming out of the dining room. "Estel, please! You would not wish our trip postponed because you broke a bone coming downstairs, would you?"

_The young man reddened, but his grin covered his face. "No, Father."_

"_Did you remember your healing supplies?"_

"_Yes, Father. I have everything. I checked last night before going to bed." _

"_Very well." The elf's smile was indulgent. "Come and eat. Your brothers are waiting." _

"_Yes, sir!"_

_The three elves and one human finished their breakfast quickly. The human was too excited to talk and the elves didn't have the heart to tease him. It really was a very special occasion and they were as pleased about it as Estel. Soon they were mounted and riding out of the courtyard. _

_They stopped at midday to eat and allow their horses to rest. The twins and Elrond had discussed it and decided to take Estel to the same place they had gone on their first outing with Elrond. The view was beautiful and there was a stream where the fish almost begged to be taken from the water. Since the elf lord, unfortunately, would not be able to do this as often, he wanted this trip to be something his son would always remember. _

_To reach the site, their route would take them upward on a path only wide enough to ride single file. The path had suffered from the weather over the centuries. It could be hazardous if there had been recent rains and could not be traveled at all during snowy or icy conditions. There was a slight risk in taking Estel, but the weather had been nice, he was a good horseman and with Elrond along as a calming influence, this was the perfect time to take him. They would make camp at the foot of the incline tonight and begin the climb in the morning. By early afternoon, they should reach their destination and would have the remainder of that day and two full days to spend together before their return trip. It was all the time Elrond could spare and only the excitement on Estel's face, the pure joy of spending time away with his father and brothers had persuaded the elf lord that all three elves could be out of touch for that length of time. The days were darkening and they might not ever get this chance again. Elrond had also realized that to deny Estel was to deny himself. _

_As they resumed their ride, Elrond spoke again about the danger of the climb and of his confidence that Estel was now mature enough to understand the need for caution. Estel solemnly promised to be careful, evidently having every intention of fulfilling his father's faith in him. He had worked too hard convincing Elrond to come along to have the trip cut short due to some folly of his own making._

_**Six Days Earlier**_

The four began their day early, having arrived in good time at their camp the previous evening, eaten food they had brought with them or gathered along the way and bedded down early. The elves had been concerned that Estel would have trouble sleeping, but the youngling had been too excited to rest well the night before and fell asleep with his last bite of bread still in his hand. 

_They arrived at their campsite without incident and spent the remainder of the afternoon fishing and enjoying the peaceful surroundings. When they were content they had enough fish to satisfy the hunger of four males, they returned to their horses and divided up the evening duties. Elrond and Elladan stayed behind to clean their catch and set up camp while Elrohir and Estel went to gather firewood.  
_

_Estel had taken as much joy in fishing and the magnificent scenery as his brothers and father, but remaining quiet enough to make sure he did not frighten the fish away had made the youngling restless. Elrohir could not find it in his heart to refuse his pleas to spend a short time exploring. The elf reasoned it would take them less time to gather the wood than it would his twin and father to clean the fish and that it would do them no harm to eat a few minutes later than planned. It was only when he heard the faint clash of steel against steel that he realized they had lost track of time and dusk was upon them. _

_Elrohir raised a hand to silence Estel and listened intently. The sound of battle was definitely coming from their campsite. The sound of orcs was clear and it was likely his father and older brother were outnumbered._

_Elrohir's eyes quickly scanned his brother. The only weapon Estel carried was his dagger. Elrohir carried his sword and dagger, but had left his bow and quiver behind. Estel looked at him, sensing something was wrong, but his human ears did not pick up the sound of combat. The elf grasped his younger brother by both shoulders and looked him squarely in the eyes. "Estel, orcs are attacking our camp. If we had a bow and quiver with us, I would take you back with me and let you fire from the trees, but you have no weapon." Estel opened his mouth to speak, but Elrohir gave him no chance. "When I motion you into the trees, I need you to go without hesitation. If we are injured, you will still be able to go for help. If you go back with me and we are all hurt, there will be no hope of rescue. Do you understand?" _

_His eyes wide with fear, the young man nodded. Elrohir pressed his point. "No one will look for us until it is too late. I need your word."_

"_I swear." The youngling's voice trembled, but his eyes held Elrohir's. The elf squeezed his shoulders briefly, then turned and headed back to camp with Estel close behind. True to his word, the human climbed the tree Elrohir indicated. Elrohir allowed himself a fleeting moment of relief and increased his speed, praying he was not too late to save his twin and their father. _

_Just short of the clearing that held their campsite, the elf stopped to hurriedly assess the situation. Evidently, his father and brother had had only moments of warning. Two orcs lay dead with Elrond's arrows in their throats, but bows were weapons of distance. When the orcs entered camp, his father had switched to his sword, which he now held in his right hand. In his left hand was his dagger. Orcs were approaching the elf lord from both sides, but Elrond had done battle at Gil-galad's side and was a fearsome warrior, especially when someone he loved was at risk. As Elrohir watched, Elrond rammed the dagger deep into an orc's stomach and withdrew it as he parried a blow from another of the fell beasts with his sword._

_The orcs had somehow managed to separate the two, or perhaps they had not had time to reach each other before the camp was overrun. His twin was on the far side of the clearing; near Elladan lay an orc's body, his brother's dagger protruding from its eye. Now his brother fought with both hand on his sword hilt as he tried to maintain his footing despite a scimitar slash on his left thigh. Even from this distance, Elrohir's elven eyes could see the cut went to the bone. Elladan would be lost if he fell; they must end this quickly. Searching the clearing for a bow and arrows, Elrohir noted his and Elladan's were both across the clearing. His eyes found Elrond's just as the other elves became aware of his presence. _

"_Father!" Elrohir's eyes were on the weapons and he nodded in their direction._

_The elf lord sighted his middle son, scooped up his bow and quiver and tossed them to Elrohir, knowing their only chance was to take the enemy down from the trees. Elrohir caught the weapons, flung the quiver over one shoulder, the bow over another and leaped to grab a branch of the nearest tree. There were no archers among the orcs, so he could fire safely from the branches and eliminate the orcs much faster than with his sword. It was the only thing they could have done, but the move cost Elrond. He had shoved his dagger into his belt and dropped his sword as he reached for the weapons. Before he could take up his sword again, the orc leader seized it, leering with satisfaction at the elf lord. Elrohir gained a seating on the branch, turned, and tossed his own sword to his father, only to see the orc leader force his father further away. The older elf stretched out to catch the weapon, but it slipped through his fingers. In desperation, the elf lord pulled one of his arrows from a carcass and lunged at the leader, as Elrohir began to rain arrows down on their attackers._

Elladan cried out as an orc penetrated his defenses and plunged its blade into the elf's side. The twin went down, but drove his own weapon upward into the orc's chest. The beast fell atop him and lay unmoving.

_Elrond, who had already had the arrow jerked out of his hand, was distracted by his son's cry. Only one orc other than the leader remained on its feet. It raised its scimitar over Elrond's head as though to slice the elf lord in half. Elrohir, seeing the danger, placed his last arrow into the disgusting creature's throat. The leader, expecting to be the target of the next arrow, grabbed Elrond's wrist to jerk the elf lord in front of him as a living shield. The momentum threw Elrond off balance and he stumbled over a large stone and went down, striking his head against a large rock. _

_Without the elf to hide behind, the leader fled in the direction where Elrohir had left Estel. Elrohir had loosed his last arrow, but jumped to the ground and tossed his dagger at the retreating figure. He heard a grunt from the fell beast as the blade imbedded in its shoulder, but the injury did not slow it down. Elrohir was debating if he should pursue it or aid his father and brother; when Elladan managed to shove the orc's body off of him and ordered, "Go after it! I'll help Father."_

_Elrohir spared a moment to aid Elladan to their father's side, then spun to race after the orc survivor. As he reached the trees, he was drawn up short by the sight of his little brother. The human was standing dazed at the edge of the cleaning; in one hand was his dagger, in the other was Elrond's sword. Both blades were covered with blood. Estel's voice was hollow, as though coming from the bottom of a well. "It had Father's sword."_

"_You killed it?" _

_Estel nodded without speaking, his eyes roaming over the carnage before him._

_Elrohir ached for the boy who had first seen a sight like this when he was just a toddler and his human parents were killed. _

"Estel, are you hurt?" The elf's voice was gentle.

"_It wasn't supposed to happen this way."_

"_Estel?" _

"_I am human. I am to die first. None of you are supposed to die before me."_

_Elrohir was rendered speechless, but their big brother stepped in to fill the silence. "Oh, Estel, none of us are dead. Father is merely unconscious. He struck his head when he fell, but he lives."_

"_His eyes are shut."_

_"Come here, Estel." Elladan motioned the boy to him where he lay by their father, one hand on the elder elf's chest. "See for yourself. His heart beats. He still draws breath."_

_The human moved toward the two, as he passed Elrohir, the elf reached out to take their father's sword and fell into pace behind him, resisting the urge to hurry him. When they reached the two older elves, Elrohir stepped across their father and knelt beside him opposite Elladan. Estel went to his knees by Elladan and reached a trembling hand to feel the pulse under his ear. His eyes shut in relief and when they opened, they were filled with unshed tears. "When I saw the orc with his sword, I thought he was dead."_

_"I know." Elladan placed a hand to the young man's cheek._

_It was a measure of the human's distress that he did not move away from his brother's touch before swallowing hard and asking, "What do we do now?"_

_"Now, little brother, you and I are going to tend to my wounds while Elrohir checks Father."_

_"Are you sure? I mean, those look bad, Elladan."_

_"We will do it together."_

_"I should be finished with Father in time to do the stitches, Estel." Elrohir reassured his younger brother. "Fetch two of the healing pouches and two water pouches."_

_As Estel hurried to get the pouches, the twins take a moment to speak quietly. "What will we do, Elladan? Neither you or Father are really able to ride, but if there are more orcs…"_

_"I know. You and Estel would be hard put to defend us should more orcs stumble upon us. The path will be too dangerous to travel in the dark, so we will spend the night in the trees and leave at first light."_

_Estel returned with the pouches. "Shall I gather enough wood for a small fire to heat the water?"_

_"Yes, but first we need to staunch my bleeding before the scent carries."_

_Estel forced a smile. "And you always said I was the one who alerted the animals we were there."_

_Elladan reached to ruffle his brother's unruly hair. The youngling pulled away and the twins exchanged a satisfied look. Their brother was weathering this well._

_In the end, it had taken longer than Elrohir would have likef to finish tending his twin and there was no doubt the loss of blood would leave Elladan weakened. Things would have been much easier if the injuries had occurred during the day. Their human brother's ability to help was limited not by his knowledge of healing – he was a son of Elrond, after all – but by his human vision. It had simply been too dark, even with the low fire, for him to see well enough to safely clean Elladan's wounds…and to stitch a wound with dirt still in it was to invite infection. So the majority of the care for both their father and older brother had fallen to Elrohir, with Estel aiding where he could._

_First the human had handed bandages to Elrohir as the elf wrapped Elrond's head injury. Later, while Elrohir worked on the elder twin's scimitar wounds, Estel cleaned their blades and returned them to their sheathes, then gathered all their healing and water pouches and secured them from a limb of the tree he had selected for them to stay in overnight. Finally, while Elrohir put the finishing touches on Elladan's wounds, Estel had cradled their father's head in his lap while managing to force down some bread at the twins' insistence that none of them would benefit from the human going without nourishment. _

_By the time all of them were settled in the safety of the cradling branches, they were all exhausted and decided to trust their horses to alert them in the event of danger. Their father had shown no signs of regaining consciousness, but considering the journey ahead of them, that was probably for the best. _

_At least one thing had operated in their favor. The orcs had not been expecting them, so the blades that struck Elladan were not poisoned. _

**_Five Days Earlier_**

_At first sign of light, Elrohir dropped silently to the ground while his brothers supported their father. _

_They mounted for their descent with Elrond firmly held in Elrohir's arms. After much debate between the twins, it had been decided that Elladan and Estel would ride together. Elladan considered their using his horse instead of Estel's mare since it was larger and stronger, but decided the mare would be able to bear the weight and Estel was more comfortable with her. Elrond's and Elladan's mounts would follow them. _

_The sons of Elrond gave a last look back over the orc-covered clearing, it's beauty dimmed by the unwelcome presence of the fell beasts. _

_"We will have to send a party back to clean up the area." Elladan knew they should gather the bodies together and burn them, but they needed to get their father home as soon as possible. Aside from that, he would be unable to help and it was beyond him to watch his brothers do the task alone._

_Elrohir and Estel nodded without comment. Estel just wanted to be away from the awful sight; Elrohir knew his twin wasn't speaking of the bodies alone, but of sending a contingent to look for additional orcs in the area. _

**_Four Days Earlier_**

_The next two days were among the longest in Elrohir's memory. The trip that had taken less than one day when they ascended, took a full two days coming down, with them stopping to spend the night at the one widened area on the path. Elrohir had stayed up all night; fearful one of the horses might lose it's footing and the weary elf greeted the dawn with a grim determination. Both Estel and Elladan refrained from talking. Elladan concentrated on being as little burden as possible to his youngest brother and on trying to keep his pain under control. It was impossible to hide it from his twin, but he could still shield his human brother from his discomfort. As for Estel's silence, he had seen that look on Elladan's face before, but never on their light-hearted middle brother's and he knew anything serious enough to put it there called for quiet._

_The twins and Estel breathed a collective sigh of relief when the last horse sat foot on level ground at the base of the incline. They were even blessed with enough daylight to set up camp and properly see to Elrond and Elladan's injuries. After a meal of bread and dried meat, they settled down to sleep. When the human's breathing became even, Elrohir rose quietly and moved into the branches of an oak to keep watch. Two hours before dawn he quietly descended from the tree to catch a couple of hours of sleep, again trusting the horses would alert them to danger now that they had been able to rest._

_**Three Days Earlier**_

_The twins and Estel rose to face another early morning. While Estel gathered berries from nearby bushes for their breakfast, Elrohir tried in vain to wake their father. He clenched his hands into fists, then deliberately relaxed them before his younger brother noticed._

_As they shared the berries and water, Estel spoke quietly. "It is still a full day before they expect us at home."_

"_I have been thinking about that. I am going to send Father's horse on ahead so they will at least send a patrol to look for us." Elrohir had wondered how to broach this subject without upsetting Estel. Trust his little brother to already be aware of the dilemma._

_"Will it be enough for them to look for us? It is only Father's horse. Perhaps they will think it was spooked and he is riding with one of us. Perhaps it won't be enough for them to send help." Their young brother had borne the trip down the mountain with a quiet fortitude past what either elf could have hoped for, but now, not blessed with elven endurance, the strain was beginning to show. It was understandable, but not a welcome development._

"_They will look." Before either of his brothers had time to ask how he could be sure, Elladan had pulled his dagger from its sheath and run the blade across his palm, drawing blood. "Bring me a bandage, Estel."_

_As the human ran to obey, Elladan's twin glared at him in a mixture of anger and frustration. Elladan grinned weakly. "You know you are only upset because you did not think of it first, Elrohir."_

_Estel dropped to his knees by his eldest brother with a healing pouch in one hand and a water pouch in the other. Sitting them carefully by his side, he reached to take Elladan's hand in his, obviously planning to clean the wound. Elladan raised his uninjured hand to halt him. "Wait, Estel. First we must make sure enough blood gets on the linen to get the attention of the elves in Rivendell. Then you may clean and bandage the cut while Elrohir sends Father's horse and the cloth on their way." Estel's mouth fell open as he realized exactly what Elladan had in mind. Then his eyes dropped. _

"_I should not have questioned that they would look for us. You only did this to make me feel better. I am sorry, Elladan."_

_"He is my father, too, Estel. You were right to doubt that the appearance of Father's horse alone would be sufficient to raise the alarm. I am very impressed with the way you have handled all that has happened, little brother."_

_Elrohir dropped down beside his brothers, reaching for the now bloodied cloth. He nudged the human with one shoulder. "He is right, Estel. Father will be proud when he hears how well you have done."_

"_When will **that** be?"_

"_Soon, Estel, soon. We should have him settled in the Healing Rooms by nightfall. All will be well."_

_Elladan's blood sacrifice yielded the desired results. A group of elves, including a healer, met them on the trail just past midday. Elrond was soon placed on litter, suspended between two horses specially trained to carry it. The healer and Elrohir supervised this operation while Elladan sat with his arm around Estel's shoulder and explained to the new arrivals how the elf lord had been injured. Elladan assured the healer that his own injuries could wait for further attention until they returned home. When Elrohir did not dispute his twin's claim, the healer nodded and indicated it was time to leave. Elladan resolutely climbed upon his own horse. Elrohir, with his hands now free of the weight of his father, mounted behind him. Elladan rolled his eyes, but said nothing. Elrohir smiled and motioned Estel ahead of them and the procession departed for the Last Homely House. _

_Had their father been conscious, he would have been dismayed by the chaos (by elven standards, at least) that had initially greeted the party upon its return. It was commonplace to have one or more of the elf lord's sons return injured, but when it was Elrond himself, the healers' normally calm response was noticeably absent. The patrol leader's fervored organizing of warriors and hunters to depart to deal with any remaining orcs only added to the sense of disarray._

_The twins took the confusion in stride, but when an apprentice in the Healing Rooms thoughtlessly shoved the young human aside, Estel responded without thinking._

_"Since when do the healers of Imladris show so little regard for an injured elf's family? If my father's injuries unsettle you so, then I suggest you see to duties elsewhere and allow more experienced healers to attend him! I am sure you mean no harm, but surely such behavior would provide little comfort to a patient's family?"_

_Not having seen his brother pushed aside, his words only confused Elrohir. Elladan had seen the action, but had simply expected his little brother to follow along to the Healing Rooms. Now, the elder twin was torn between scolding the human and applauding him. His little brother was absolutely correct in all he had said, but for one so young to speak so to one of the Firstborn was not behavior their father would sanction._

_Staring intently at the offending apprentice, Elladan decided he had indeed intended no harm and had likely taken Estel's words to heart. The maturity of the youngling's words had certainly stunned Elladan and he expected the others with them had been suitably impressed as well. He came to the conclusion that nothing more need be said on the subject._

_He had been walking behind their father's litter leaning against another elf for support. Now he removed his hand from the elf's shoulder and motioned to his youngest brother. "Walk with me, Estel. Let us leave Father's care to Elrohir and the others until you and I have cleaned and dressed my wounds." There was a moment's hesitation from the human before he moved to Elladan's side and placed an arm around his brother's waist to allow the twin to lean on him. As Elladan allowed some of his weight to shift to the human, he leaned and spoke very softly into his brother's ear. "You will be a fine healer someday, little brother." He felt the human straighten and again thought how well the young man had handled all they had endured the past few days. Their father would be so proud. If only he would regain consciousness. Swallowing a sigh, he allowed his brother to ease him down onto a bed near the elf lord's._

_TBC_


	3. The Unexpected

A/N I'm sorry it has taken me so long to update, but I lost the last edited version of this fiction. I never did find it, so please forgive me any oversights in this version! I'm not sure if I've responded to all the reviews, but I have read all of them and truly appreciate each and every one.

nautika

_Chapter 3 The Unexpected_

_**Earlier Today**_

_Elrohir sat in Elrond's room watching his family and thinking back over the past two days. Elladan's improvement had been slow, but steady. Their father's heartbeat was strong and steady, but he still had not regained consciousness. The healers told the twins what they already knew. Head injuries could be tricky, but there was no evidence of a fracture or of swelling. They would simply have to wait and see what happened. Elrohir knew Elladan would have preferred to have the conversation without Estel in the room, but both twins knew that was unlikely to happen. Since their return to Imladris, Estel had helped clean and bandage Elladan's wounds, he had heated water, mixed herbs, assisted Elrohir in bathing their father and anything else the twins had asked of him. But when instructed to return to his room to rest, their younger brother had simply walked to the nearest bed and pulled the blanket up over himself. Yesterday, they had transferred the elf lord to his own room and at the end of the day Elladan had firmly ordered the human to his own room to sleep. Estel had nodded respectfully at the twin, then pulled a throw from the back of a chair and curled up at their father's feet. Elladan had done an excellent impression of a fish, opening and closing his mouth, but unable to speak._

_Ah, if only Elrond would awaken. Patience was the elf lord's gift. Unfortunately, his sons were not as skilled at the trait as their father. _

"_Shall we send him back to his tutor today?" Elladan's soft query startled his twin, who snorted inelegantly in response. _

"_Us and what army?"_

"_Father would not be pleased that we have allowed him to neglect his studies."_

"_He has not neglected his studies, he has simply focused on the healing arts." Elrohir's grin was rueful and he continued more seriously. "I understand your concerns, but I suggest we work with him on his history and other subjects here. He will not be able to concentrate away from Father. He has done well, Elladan, and deserves to remain here if he wishes." _

"_I suppose you are right. If Father is displeased, then the blame will fall on us. It is not as though it will be the first time."_

"_And for far poorer reasons."_

_Before Elladan could respond, a raspy voice asked, "What…have you…done…now?" _

"_Father!" _

_Elrond smiled. "My sons."_

_Estel, awakened by the twins' united cry, sat up and looked around to see what was happening. Seeing his father's eyes open, he gave a huge grin. "You're awake!"_

"_Indeed…I am." Turning to the twins, the elf lord raised an eyebrow in question. "Who is your…young friend?"_

End of extended flashback

Watching Estel struggle with the bridle, Elrohir recalled the look on their little brother's face when he realized Elrond truly did not remember him. Somehow it was made worse by the fact he obviously did remember the twins.

As Elrohir moved toward his brother, Estel flung the bridle into the back corner of the stall with an inarticulate cry. The boy's horse shied away, eyes wide and nostrils flaring. Estel dropped to his knees and buried his face in his hands. The twin stepped between the horse and her owner and carefully stroked the animal, speaking softly to her. When she had calmed, he knelt beside his younger brother and pulled the young man to him. "I am so sorry, Estel. But it will be well, you will see."

"Well? How can it be well if he does not remember me?"

"He has just awakened. Give him time-"

"He did not need time to remember you and Elladan!"

"Estel– "

"No! No more lies!"

Elrohir's voice was firm. "Father has never lied to you, Estel. He loves you. We love you. Nothing can change that."

"How can he love me if he does not remember me, Elrohir?"

"He will remember."

"You don't know that! And why me? Why did he only forget me?"

"Memory loss can be the loss of days or of years. We are centuries older than you, Estel."

"No. He forgot me because he wanted to…because I am always getting hurt or sick or …or…"

Elrohir's grip tightened. "He would never want to forget you, Estel. Never."

"You cannot know that!" Estel was shouting now.

Elrohir's voice rose to match the human's. "I do know that! And you know it! Everything isn't always about you, Estel. Father is the one who is hurt and instead of being there with him, I am here with you. Does that tell you nothing?"

Estel tensed at his brother's words and pushed himself forcibly out of the elf's arms. His voice was cold. "It tells me you had rather be with your father and brother. You may return to your family, my lord."

"I am not your lord. I am your brother. A sorry excuse for one, but your brother all the same. You are not getting out of this family that easily, little brother. We love you. You know we do. I regret saying what I did, but truly, Estel, I thought you had outgrown the need for us to constantly reassure you of our love and the joy you bring to our lives. It seems a long time since we have had to tell you that the reason you are not as graceful as the elves is because you are not meant to be. We love you for who you are, Estel, exactly the way that you are." There was a catch in Elrohir's voice as he continued. "I am so sorry that I hurt you, little brother. I am so sorry."

The pain on the elf's features was more than Estel could bear. He allowed his brother's arms to encircle him once more, pressed his face into the elf's neck and whispered. "How can Father love me if he cannot remember me?"

"Oh, Estel. His heart will remember even if his mind does not."

"What if he never remembers?"

"Then he will have the joy of learning to love you all over again. And through it all, you will have my love and Elladan's."

"I love you, Ro." The nickname from Estel's childhood slipped out unbidden. Comforting each other, the youngest sons of Elrond allowed their hearts to remember those wonderful days.

Epilogue: It had been a week since the elf lord regained consciousness. Much of his time had been spent sitting on his balcony, but today he had awakened and made his way to his garden before anyone else awoke. He sat basking in the morning sun, taking in the fragrance of the flowers around him. Some had been planted by his wife when the twins were still elflings. Elrond smiled at the image of her kneeling on the ground between the identical beings, teaching them how to care for the tender plants. The twins had assisted her every spring, and after she had sailed, they had tended the garden without her. Elrond suspected it was one of the most difficult things they had ever done.

A rustling of leaves from overhead interrupted the elf's train of thought. Glancing up, he tracked the movement of someone from the highest limbs of the tree down until they dropped to the ground from a dangerous height. His eyebrows rose as fixed his glare on the young human.

"How many times do I have to tell you that leap is entirely too dangerous? Do you not remember what I told you I would do if I ever caught you doing that again?"

The human simply stood staring at him for long moments.

"Do not just stand there, Estel. Bring me your bow. You may have it back for your lessons, but you will not be permitted to have it at any other time. Estel?"

The boy's face split with a huge smile. "Yes, Father!" He ran forward, embraced the elf lord, shoved his bow and quiver of arrows at him, then turned and raced back into the house.

"Elladan! Elrohir! He remembers! He remembers!"

Back in the garden, Elrond shook his head in confusion. 'What is wrong with that child now?'

End


End file.
